Components of the Course Outline of Record

This section explains each COR component and the requirements for completing each section during the course development or revision process. The COR serves as a guide for required instructional elements in each course. ASCCC states, “teaching should always be a dynamic and adaptive process, constantly adjusting to accommodate the ever-changing, diverse learning needs of students in the California community colleges.” (Course Outline of Record, 2). For information regarding course syllabi and the COR, see AFA/District Contract 17.05 A 4. To that end, consider how IDEAA principles can be integrated into the COR; see IDEAA resources in Appendix I.

Each section of the COR has a specific format, but some general conventions apply to the outline in general.

• Language should be:
  • student-centered
  • clear, concise
  • jargon free
  • accessible to the general reader.
• Capitals and quotations may be used as appropriate but avoid using all caps for formatting.
• Acronyms and abbreviations should be spelled out the first time they are stated with abbreviations or acronyms in parentheses, unless they are universally known within a given discipline or field. Once the full name/title and abbreviation or acronym has been provided, only the abbreviation or acronym is required.
• The word “and” should be spelled out except when an ampersand (&) is necessary due to the character limitation in the short title.
• Drop hyphens from “online,” “midterm,” “email,” and “noncredit.”

The Integrated Course Outline

The COR demonstrates compliance with Title 5 requirements, the Chancellor’s Office’s Program and Course Approval Handbook (PCAH),8^th Edition, ACCJC accreditation standards, and SRJC policies and procedures. Since curriculum falls under faculty purview, the COR also reflects the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges’ guidelines set forth in their Spring 2017 publication titled, The Course Outline of Record: A Curriculum Reference Guide Revisited. 

The COR demonstrates an integrated approach to instruction. 

• College-level critical thinking and the basic theories and concepts of the discipline are evident through the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Objectives.
• Topics and Scope content relates to course SLOs and Objectives to show that the information and skills needed to meet the SLOs and objectives are taught in the course.
• Assignments support and assess students’ achievement of the SLOs and Objectives in alignment with Title 5, Section 55002.
• Representative textbooks and instructional materials relate directly to the content, are at an appropriate level for the course, and are current for the discipline.
• A well-written, integrated course outline provides for consistency across instructors, sections, and semesters to guarantee that the course offers the quality preparation students require to meet their educational and career goals (Course Outline or Record, Curriculum Reference Guide Revisited, (page 4)

The COR provides information and guidance for multiple audiences.

• The description, SLOs, and course objectives are important to the general college community, accrediting agencies, students, and public. Students, instructors, counselors, other community colleges, transfer institutions, and occupational boards need to be aware of the course outcomes, expectations, rigor, and the required level of critical thinking and/or problem-solving in a course.
• The Topics and Scope section outlines the course content and is important to instructors who will be teaching the course or who teach related courses. All content in Topics and Scope must be taught in all sections of the course.
• The assignments, MOE, and textbook sections answer two questions for students:
  • “What kind of work do I have to do?
  • How will my work be assessed?” 

The assignment and MOE sections help instructors understand the flexibility they have in selecting, designing, and assessing assignments.  As noted above, a well-written, integrated course outline provides consistency across instructors, sections, and semesters to guarantee that the course offers the preparation students require to meet their educational goals.

Term Effective Date

This date appears with the title at the top of the COR. Example: AGRI101 as of Fall 2024.

Generally, any course approved within the Curriculum Office deadlines for an academic year becomes effective in Fall of the next academic year to align with SRJC’s College Catalog rights and Degree Audit System. (e.g., approved in January 2025, scheduled Fall 2025). Occasionally, requirements or changes in licensing programs mandate that curriculum changes become effective immediately. Departments facing such changes should consult with the CRC Co-Chairs before submitting the course for review. 

Course Titles

The COR lists the course’s full title and short title. The full title is used in the SRJC Catalog and online descriptions; the short title (limited to 24 characters) appears in the Schedule of Classes, official registration printouts, transcripts, and other Admissions and Records listings. The two versions of the titles should be as similar as possible; truncating words and using slashes (/) and ampersands as needed. For instance, ANAT 140, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, has the short title of FUNDAMENTALS ANAT/PHYSIO.
Course titles should be unique, but related courses may use the same title with numbers. Example: Jazz Dance I, Jazz Dance II, Jazz Dance III. The discipline may use either Roman or Arabic numerals to indicate the level, as long as their use is consistent across related courses.

Hours, Units, Weeks 

The COR must state the units, the number of hours per week and total hours per semester, the maximum and minimum number of weeks, and the type of activity involved in a course—lecture, scheduled lab, activity, or To Be Arranged (TBA) 

Units: One unit of credit is earned through 3 hours of student learning per week for a semester. At SRJC, the semester is 17.5 weeks, and 52.5 hours is required for one unit of credit. The relationship between “student learning hours,” ‘units,” and “method of instruction” is defined by Title 5 and the PCAH, 8^th Edition, page 58 and summarized in the table below.

One unit equals one semester (17.5 weeks) of:

Instructional Category	In-class   hours/week	Outside of Class  hours/week
Lecture (lecture, discussion, seminar, related work)	1	2 (reading, writing, research, other preparation
Activity (traditional athletics/dance/physical education)	2	1 (practice, preparation)
Lab (traditional lab, clinical, computer lab)	3	0 (little to no homework)
To Be Arranged (TBA): student work in the presence of faculty or supervisor (i.e., clinical). Calculated as traditional lab	3	0 (little to no homework)

 

Unit/Hour/Learning Time Relationship: When writing, reviewing or revising a course, it is important to refer to PCAH, 8^th Edition to ensure that the unit/hour relationship is supported throughout the COR.

Maximum/minimum weeks: The minimum number of weeks should allow adequate time for student work. For instance, a lecture course requires 2 hours of homework for every hour in class; therefore, a typical 3-unit lecture course requires 6 hours/week of outside work. While the COR lists a total of 52.5 hours for a 3-unit course, this represents only the in-class time. The actual number of student learning hours is 52.5 in class and 105 outside of class, totaling 157.5 hours per semester. See ASCCC resolution language below for courses offered in a compressed time frame of fewer than six weeks.

According to ASCCC Resolution 9.09 S06, Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges recommend that when a course of three or more semester or equivalent quarter units is to be offered in a time frame of fewer than six weeks, the local curriculum committee, as part of the curriculum approval process, engage the discipline faculty in a separate review of the course for the following: academic integrity and rigor, the method for meeting Carnegie units, the ability for students to complete and for faculty to evaluate assignments, including those done outside of class, and the appropriateness of the method of delivery, to determine whether the course should be offered in a specific shortened time frame. MSC Disposition: Local Senates, Curriculum Chairs, CIOs

• Short Courses. Short courses, as opposed to compressed courses, are designed to be less than a semester in length and are represented as such in the COR. Usually, these classes follow a traditional meeting schedule of 1-3 hours of in-class time per week.  Some short courses are modularized versions of semester-length courses.
  • NOTE: UC does not accept short courses. Thus, modularization of a UC transfer- level course into two 8-week courses would not be approved.
• Compressed Courses. Compressed courses fit a semester’s number of hours into a time period less than a full semester. This means that the compressed version is worth the same number of units as the original course. The most common version of this is summer classes, where students earn a full semester’s worth of units for a course in fewer weeks. Refer to ASCCC resolution above for offering a 3-unit course in fewer than six weeks.
• Topics and Scope: Some courses are listed as a combination lecture and lab and/or To Be Arranged (TBA) hours. If appropriate, topics that are addressed in lab should be labeled as such within the Topics and Scope area. However, some courses may deliver information during the lecture and allow students to interact with the concepts during lab, so separate designations are not necessary.
  • To communicate this clearly, the phrase “All Topics covered in lecture and lab” should appear at the beginning or end of the Topics and Scope section.
• Assignments:
  • For a lecture course, assignments should reflect the amount of out-of-class learning through references to reading and writing assignments, research, and the implied preparation for projects, presentations, and exams.
  • Activity courses should state the expected work outside of class (usually practice).
  • For courses that are a combination lecture and lab or TBA lab (such as clinical time), typical activities that occur during the lab or TBA /clinical time should be distinguished from other assignments.  This provides clear and transparent information to students and instructional faculty. See Section 4.13 for more detailed information.
• Methods of Evaluation: Appropriate weight should be given to assignments that require more student time. For instance, a typical lecture class would have higher grading percentages assigned to activities that involve considerable reading, writing and/or problem-solving, and exam preparation. See Section 4.14 for more detailed information.
• Textbooks: Most lecture classes involve considerable reading and homework, and specific textbooks are usually expected, especially for transferable courses.
  • For UC transfer-level courses, refer to UC TCA Textbook Requirements for textbook requirements.
    • For example, certain lab classes require that the Textbook Section includes a Lab Manual. If you are including Open Education Resource (OER) materials, please see UC-TCA Textbook Requirements.  UC courses require online/digital texts that are stable and publicly available as published textbooks.

Title 5 Categories and Grading

The SRJC COR lists specific information required by the Chancellor’s Office; the Curriculum Office will vet this information prior to CRC approval.

Title 5 Category. This relates to the level of the course and should align with the course number. 

• AA-degree applicable (for courses numbered 1-299)
• AA-degree non-applicable (300-399)
• Noncredit (400 and above, mainly 700 at SRJC).

Title 5 Grading. Grade option is usually made at the discipline/department level: 

• Credit Course for Grade or Pass/No Pass (P/NP)
• Credit Course Taken for P/NP Only
• Grade only
• Non-graded Credit Course
• Noncredit Only

NOTE: Title 55002 provides detailed information regarding grading. For degree applicable courses, Title 5 states, 

“The grade is based on demonstrated proficiency in subject matter and the ability to demonstrate that proficiency, at least in part, by means of essays, or, in courses where the curriculum committee deems them to be appropriate, by problem solving exercises or skills demonstrations by students.”

Repeatablilty

Under Title 5, most community college courses are not repeatable once a student has successfully completed a course with a “C” or better, or a “P” (Pass). However, students may repeat a course two more times if they failed to pass the first time (received a D, F, or NP). 

Only certain courses may be eligible for additional repeatability. These specific course categories, named by the Chancellor’s Office, are kept by the Curriculum Office. 

SRJC Repeat Codes

Title 5 Course Category	Repeat Code	Example
Almost all credit courses.	00 = Two repeats if grade of D, F, NC, or NP	ANTHRO 1 Biological Anthropology
Specific Courses required for CSU or UC major requirements (usually performing arts).	May be taken: 39 = Total of 2 times 33 = Total of 3 times 34 = Total of 4 times	MUSCP 42A Jazz Combo Ensemble 1
Intercollegiate Athletics Courses	34 = May be taken a total of 4 times	ATHL 14 Women’s Varsity Basketball
CE Program Specific (often for licensing)	42 = One repeat if grade of D, F, NC, or NP	NR75D Advanced Care of Acutely Ill
Noncredit	27 = Exempt from repeat provisions	CSKLS 731 Basic Academic Skills and GED Preparation
Required for State Certification/ongoing training (e.g., Public Safety)	21 = Legally mandated repetition	FIRE 206 CAL FIRE Wildland Firefighter Academy
Work Experience	25 = 16 units total	WRKEX 97 General Work Experience

Also Listed As: A few courses are cross-listed with different prefixes so they can apply to different certificates, but they are the same course. Example: AGBBUS 56 and WINE 56 (Intro to Agriculture Business Management and Intro to Agriculture and Wine Business Management). 

Formerly: If a course had a different prefix or prefix and number, it will be listed for historical purposes. Example: KFIT 3.3, Advanced Body Conditioning, was formerly PHYED 31.3. 

Course Descriptions for Catalog and Schedule of Classes 

The course description should:

• Include student-centered language and include at least one sentence that clearly states what the students will experience in the class.
  • Example sentence starters
    • Students will study
    • Students will examine
    • Students will learn
• State the course content clearly, concisely, and accurately. Complete sentences are preferable but not necessary if the description is clear;
• Describe the scope of the course, its level, and optionally, course outcomes and activities involved in the learning;
• Mention how the course fits within a certain program or fulfills external organization requirements; and
• Indicate for which students the course is intended.
  • Examples:
    • “first course in the graphics arts major”;
    • “intended for students in allied health majors.”
• Mention any required equipment or student participation outside of the usual expectations. Examples:
  • “Students must provide their own guitars”;
    • “Field trips required.”

NOTES:

The Method of Instruction (MOI) should not be specified in the course description on the COR since the MOI is listed in the Other Codes section of the COR as well as in the DE Addendum.

In some cases, certain course types (e.g., Work Experience) require additional information in description. Check with the Curriculum Office for more information. 

Prerequisites, Corequisites, & Recommended Preparation 

Discipline faculty determine prerequisites, corequisites, and recommended preparation based on their analysis of the rigor and content of the course, requirements of transfer institutions, and/or external bodies such as licensing agencies. See Title 5, Section 55003 for definition of terms and regulations regarding non-course prerequisites.
A.    Prerequisites and corequisites: Prerequisites are courses that discipline faculty have deemed are necessary for students to complete to succeed in the target course. Corequisites are courses that are taken concurrently to ensure students are adequately supported to pass the target course. 
1.    Most prerequisites and corequisites are within the same certificate or degree program. However, a math or English prerequisite may be added to a course outside of its respective department if:
•    Discipline faculty have determined, in consultation with math or English faculty, that the prerequisite is essential for student success in the target course;
•    A detailed Content Review is conducted and submitted on the appropriate form; and
•    The CRC approves the prerequisite/corequisite.
B.    Recommended Preparation. Most departments represent the level of reading, writing, or math required for success in a course through Recommended Preparation. The most common Recommended Preparation is ENGL C1000/EMLS 10, which denotes the level of reading required for most degree-applicable and transfer-level courses. This “Recommended Preparation” on the COR helps students decide if they are academically prepared for the course but does not block them from taking it.
C.    Non-course Prerequisites and Recommended Preparation: Generally, prerequisites are listed as completion of and/or concurrent enrollment in courses, but there are some exceptions:
•    Minimum age (This is actually a Limit on Enrollment; at SRJC, it is placed in the Prerequisite Limits on Enrollment section to facilitate enrollment.)
•    Assessment via qualifying multiple measures (See Title 5, Section 55003)
NOTE: Identifying ‘course completion’ with a specific letter grade is not allowed as it does not meet ‘multiple measures’ guidelines. Additionally, if the student received a C, but an A or a B is required per the prerequisite, the student could not legally repeat the course for a higher grade.
D.    Recommended preparation 
•    User-Generated Description: If a course has several prerequisites plus recommended preparation, the automated wording in SIS can be cumbersome. It is important to remind submitters that they can often streamline the list through the “User Description” field in SIS. This also allows for other non-course recommendations. For instance, the SPAN 1 recommended preparation states, “Not recommended for students who have successfully completed 2 years of high school Spanish or equivalent within the past 3 years.”
E.    The Content Review Form. The relationship between a target course and its prerequisites, corequisites, and/or recommended preparation is articulated through a “content review,” which is represented by the Content Review (CR) form in SIS. This form shows the relationship between some or all the SLOs, objectives, and assignments (“the content”) of the prerequisite or recommended preparation course and the SLOs, objectives, and assignments of the target course. One CR form is needed for every prerequisite, corequisite, and/or recommended preparation. Forms must accompany the proposal for any new course that has prerequisites, corequisites or recommended preparation. Every new and revised course submission with prerequisites, corequisites, or recommended preparation must include CR forms unless the last review was within two years. (For Forms: See Appendix F) 
F.    Limits on Enrollment (LOE). (See Title 5, Section 58106) Title 5 provides that all courses at the college shall be open for enrollment by any student who has been admitted to the college but may be limited for specific reasons authorized by Title 5, §58106. A Limits on Enrollment form justifies the need for a limit on enrollment and includes a more detailed explanation than the LOE description in the COR. Below are general situations that could require an LOE form (For Forms: See Appendix F) 
1.    Admission to Program: Enrollment in certain courses is restricted because of statutory, regulatory, or contractual requirements. For example, age limits and possession of a valid driver’s license are common requirements. The limitation “Must be age 18 or older” requires a Limits on Enrollment designation, but it is also listed as a prerequisite so that the Admissions and Records system can automatically block underage students from enrolling in a course with a specific Limit on Enrollment (e.g. WINE 110). 
2.    Tryout or Audition: A limit on enrollment may require tryouts for intercollegiate athletic teams and auditions for courses involving public performance, such as band, theatre arts, forensics, chorus, and dance performance. 
3.    Health and Safety: Course enrollment may be limited for reasons of health or safety. For example, many Athletics courses require participants to meet certain health standards. 

Articulation, Major, and Certification Information 

Articulation, Major, and Certification Information is historical or, for new courses, reflected in the appropriate forms. In general, credit courses numbered 1-299 must be related to a degree or certificate or be transferable to a CSU or UC. 
•    Beginning Fall 2025, Common Course Numbering (CCN) will impact some credit courses and have numbers outside the 1-299 range noted above. You can access the updated numbering system on the Curriculum Website.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Course Objectives 

The SLOs and Course Objectives 

reflect the content and the level of rigor, critical thinking, and specific skill levels of the course. This section informs SRJC students, instructors, and counselors about course expectations and communicates to other community colleges and four-year institutions how the course fulfills prerequisites and/or program or transfer requirements. Furthermore, the list of SLOs and Course Objectives demonstrate to state boards and licensing agencies how an occupational course meets industry standards. Additionally, the SLO statements meet specific accreditation requirements. 

While SLOs are broader, more global statements, and Objectives are more specific, they both: 

• Use active verbs that reflect how the learning is observed or measured;
• Emphasize the higher levels of critical thinking involved in the course;
• Are supported by course content and the assignments students complete; and
• Are not so prescriptive that they resemble assignments.
  • Example
    • Objective: Revise essays, paragraphs, and sentences for coherence and development.
    • Assignment: Writing exercises to improve specific aspects of writing, such as thesis formation, organization, development, style, tone, etc.

Assessment of SLOs: 

The Assignments and MOE sections of the COR should illustrate how students will achieve each SLO; for example, formal testing, projects, writing assignments, or demonstrations will exemplify students’ abilities to meet the SLOs. At SRJC, SLO's are assessed on a four-year cycle.

Student Learning Outcomes Format: 

SLO statements describe the general knowledge and abilities students will be able to apply upon completion of the course. Most courses list 2-5 SLOs. SLO's should be worded such that assessment is straightforward and could be completed within the scope of a class with this COR.

The course SLOs shall have the introductory phrase:

“At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:”

Objectives Format: 

Objectives are the more specific skills or knowledge that students need to master to achieve the SLOs. Objectives should relate to and support one or more of the SLOs. Since they reflect the more discrete skills and abilities, objectives should not restate any of the SLOs word-for-word. While these statements are more specific than SLOs, they should focus on the student’s ability to demonstrate a skill or apply course-specific knowledge.

The Objectives field includes a standard preamble:

• “At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:”

The objectives should be numbered but do not need to directly correspond to each SLO. Typical semester-length, 3-unit academic courses may have 6-10 objectives, but shorter courses may have fewer. Some Career Education (CE, formerly CTE) courses, especially those designed to meet external standards or licensing requirements, may list considerably more.

Topics and Scope

The Topics and Scope section lists the course content and concepts (Topics) and details the extent to which each of those topics will be covered (Scope) to support students' achievement of the Student Learning Outcomes and course objectives.

Content: 

The Topics and Scope section serves as a course’s “table of contents” since it outlines the course material. This section should be detailed enough to fully convey the topics to be covered, providing clear guidance for any instructor assigned to teach the course. This section should also give instructors, students, counselors, and transfer institutions a sense of the breadth and depth of the material covered in the course. 

The material outlined in the Topics and Scope section represents the fundamental content and concepts required in the course. However, any instructor teaching the course can enhance material with additional information, theoretical approaches, themes, or emphases, while ensuring that all required content and concepts are covered to the extent indicated in Topics and Scope. 

When a course includes both lecture and lab hours, CRC encourages lab topics to be identified in the Topics and Scope in one of three ways:

• Each applicable lab-only topic should have an asterisk, and a key at the end with the phrase “*Lab only.”
• Create a Topics and Scope list for lecture portion of the class and a separate list for lab portion of the class.
• If all lecture and lab components of the course are intertwined, then CRC encourages the verbiage “All topics are covered in both the lecture and lab portions of the course” at the end or beginning of the Topics and Scope list.

Outline Format and Style

Example outline with proper formatting:

                I. Main Topic

A. Subtopic one

B. Subtopic two

1. Detailed subtopic

2. Detailed subtopic

     a. Very detailed subtopic

     b. Very detailed subtopic

                II. Main Topic – Single Subtopic Added Here

                III. Main Topic

Assignments

The Assignment section includes representative assignments expected of students during class and outside of class, both graded and ungraded. Assignments should reflect the appropriate level of rigor, intensity, critical thinking, and independent work required to meet the course outcomes. 

Format and Style: The assignments should be described clearly and organized as a numbered list. 

Ungraded assignments should have “(ungraded)” listed after the assignment, except for reading assignments since they are generally ungraded.

All graded activities must be listed in the Methods of Evaluation (MOE) section

• Some assignments are representative while others are specific.  Representative assignments allow for academic freedom but must still be clearly identified in the MOE section if they are graded. In the example below, “Formative Writing Assignments” would be listed in MOE section, but the specific examples would not be listed in the MOE box.
• If the course has both lecture and lab hours, then assignments and activities related to the lab (completed with instructor present) should be listed separately under “Lab-Related Assignments.” Assignments related to lecture (aka homework) should be listed as “Lecture-Related Assignments.” If lecture and lab assignments are intertwined, then CRC encourages the verbiage “Lecture- and Lab-Related Assignments” as a preface in this section of the COR.
• The submitting department determines if there should be a number range associated with assignments. If so, Arabic numerals are preferred (usually listed at the end of an assignment) unless the spelled-out version of a number is clearer (e.g., “two 5-7 page research papers”).
• Complete sentences should have a period. Incomplete sentences should not have a period at the end of each assignment.

Assignments example: Numbers in parentheses refer to explanations in the above list. 

Lecture-Related Assignments: (4)

1. Weekly reading (1)
2. Formative Writing Assignments, such as: (3)
   1. Writing activities to engage the inquiry process
   2. Written responses to presentations
3. Internet research report (ungraded) (1)
4. Quizzes (2-5), Midterm, and Exam (5)
5. Lab-Related Assignments: (4)
6. Research and class discussion about personal value systems
7. Presentation on research report
8. Recipe journal 

Note about Distance Education (DE): The same COR represents all modalities in which a course is approved to be taught. If approval has been given to teach any portion of the course in an online format (visible in the Other Codes section of the COR), a Distance Education Addendum will be attached to the COR. If a DE Addendum is attached, all assignments and activities should encompass the modalities in which the course can be delivered. If an assignment or activity is listed in a way that makes it unclear whether it could be accomplished online, the COR may require an update before a DE Addendum can be approved. An example would be “In-class art project.” If the assignment is meant to be offered in an online modality, it could either be replaced with “In-class or online art project” or simply “Art project.” Specific technologies or product names should be avoided if possible as they restrict instructor choice and can quickly become outdated.

Methods of Evaluation (MOE) and Basis for Assigning Grades

All graded assignments must be listed within an appropriate MOE section. References to the assignments should use keywords and omit details used in the Assignments. 
•    Example: An assignment of “Exercises in textbook and workbook” could be listed as “Exercises” in the Problem-Solving section of the table. 
However, whatever terms are used in the MOE, while brief, should still clearly refer to specific assignments. 
•    Example: “Term paper” does not clearly relate to “8--10-page research report on local environmental issue”; “Research report” in the Writing Assignments section would be a better reference.
 

Grading percentages: Each MOE category is assigned a percentage range to represent the weight of that category in calculating the overall course grade.  SIS Curriculum checks for appropriate percentage totals. If the percentage for a section is changed or eliminated, other sections of the MOE table must be adjusted accordingly. For instance, if a percentage has been assigned to “Skill Demonstration” but the assignment is a problem-solving assignment, then the Skill Demonstration percentage would be dropped and the Problem-solving percentage increased.
 

Basis for Assigning Grades. Each Methods of Evaluation category has a minimum (Min %) and maximum (Max %) percentage of course grade in the Basis for Assigning Grades area. The percentages are expressed as ranges to allow for grading flexibility among faculty teaching various sections of the same course. Remember, you must supply percentages for all MOE categories identified for the course. Indicate approximate percentage or range of percentages of course grade in each category based on the assignments listed in the Assignments section. If a number in the minimum column is 0%, then the department is indicating that the assignment could be optional for some instructors. While the PCAH, 8th Edition does not provide specific guidelines regarding MOE and related grading, the ASCCC states, “Given the diverse populations community colleges serve, multiple methods of evaluation are usually preferred” (ASCCC Course Outline of Record: A Curriculum Reference Guide Revisited, page 30).
 

Category	Description	Min %	Max %
Writing Assignments	Provided by submitter	%	%
Problem Solving Demonstrations	Provided by submitter	%	%
Skill Demonstrations	Provided by submitter	%	%
Exams	Provided by submitter	%	%
Other	Provided by submitter	%	%

Once these numbers have been entered, the Curriculum Database System will automatically calculate the percentage totals for each category and ensure that they fit within these four rules:

Rule 1:    All numbers in the “minimum” column must total less than 100.
Rule 2:    All numbers in the “maximum” column must total an excess of 100.
Rule 3:   Any one minimum plus all other maximums must sum up to 100 or more.
Rule 4:   Any one maximum plus all other minimums must sum up to 100 or less.

The system provides an error message if the percentages entered don’t fulfill the four rules, indicating that you must adjust your percentages.

Categories of Assignments:  Assignment guidelines for aligning Assignments and MOEs are below:
1.    Writing Assignments mean that all or part of the grade is based on the quality of the writing. Thus, an essay fits this category, but field trip notes may not. Field trip notes might either be ungraded or included under “Other.”
2.    Problem Solving assignments demonstrate critical thinking through assignments such as textbook work, worksheets, problem sets, etc. Assignments may include some writing, but it is the solution or ideas generated through problem solving that are evaluated.
3.    Skill Demonstrations mean that the student demonstrates an ability that is observable and for which they are graded, such as, an artistic or professional display, a demonstration of specific skills in a clinical setting, or the use of tools or instruments in the profession. An oral presentation assignment would not necessarily be a skill demonstration unless the student is being graded primarily on presentation skills. Rather, it would be listed as “Other.” Skill demonstrations can be included in courses that are available for online delivery, but care should be taken to ensure that the language doesn’t exclude the possibility of completing the assignment online. For example, ‘in-class presentation’ could be replaced with ‘presentation.’
4.    Exams include quizzes, tests, midterm and final exams, including essay exams. 
•    NOTE: For classes without writing assignments, essay exams are required unless students are assessed primarily through Problem-Solving assignments, and this is indicated in SIS.
5.    Other is the field for any assignments that do not fit in MOE categories 1-4.. Examples: attendance and participation, oral presentation, portfolios, participation in field trips, and professionalism.

Using Multiple Categories. Some assignments are graded in more than one category. For instance, an architecture design assignment may be graded for its creativity and problem-solving as well as the skill demonstrated in rendering it. In cases like this, the same assignment can be listed in two areas. 
 

Representative Textbooks and Materials 

This section asks for representative textbooks and materials. For their specific classes, instructors may choose different texts or editions and will inform their students accordingly. The COR, meanwhile, must list the most current edition of the textbook(s) the discipline faculty select as representative. Certain science classes seeking UC Transfer require a Lab Manual in the list of representative textbooks. See UC TCA Guide. 
 

Citations: List textbook titles first for easier readability. Here is a recommended set-up:
•    Title of Text (in title case, not all caps). Edition number (if applicable). Author’s last name, first name and second author last name, first name. Publisher. Year
o    Example: Elementary Statistics, A Step-by-Step Approach. 10th ed. Bluman, Alan. McGraw-Hill. 2017.
•    In special circumstances, using “Current Edition” might be allowable if textbooks within a discipline are published on an annual basis or changes in law or discipline content are so fluid that revising the COR each year to represent the most current textbook editions is cumbersome and redundant.
 

“Classic” Textbooks and Literature: Textbooks that have not had a new edition in five or more years (from the effective date of the course revision) but are still preferred by discipline faculty should have “(classic)” listed after the citation. 
•    Best American Academic Essays. 7th ed. Atwan, Robert. 2013. (classic).
 

Periodic Publications: Print material that changes frequently, such as legal codes or industry manuals, should be listed and use the term “current edition” instead of a year.
•    Principles of ICD-10-CM Coding. Grider, Deborah. AMA. Current edition.
 

Instructor-Prepared Materials: If a course has substantial reading material from non-textbook sources (e.g., course readers, syllabi, worksheets, and readings distributed by the instructor).
•    Instructor-prepared materials
 

Open Educational Resources (OER): Standard Citation Format: Title, Author, Source, License 
•    Title. Edition or Version (if beyond 1st). Author (last name first). URL. License. 
o    Example: Art History 1.3:
Guide to Ancient Egyptian Art. Smarthistory, 2019. Ezra, Ruth et al. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/831. CC BY-NC-SA
 

Computer-based: Specific software or websites may be referred to by title if they are essential parts of the course for the majority of instructors, but the URL should not be included.
•    Lexicomp (online for Dentistry). Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. 2019.

Other Materials: While Title 5 does not directly address other required learning materials beyond reading materials, the Representative Texts and Materials section of the COR should also include any required software, supplies, or other equipment such as a sports item, lab equipment, art materials, or anything else the student needs to effectively participate in the course. 
•    TI-30X IIS Solar Calculator.